Rumours abound regarding GLA, EDI, NCL and EMA. Just the other day I was working out of base for the day and when my cabin crew asked from which base I had come they said "oh isn't that closing" NICE! Too much scaremongering and unsubstantiated tittle-tattle is doing nothing for morale at a time when its already low due to cost-cutting and uncertainty industry wide. I really do feel for the crew in DTM. If the first they knew of it was the e-mail which was sent to the whole crew network, then it was a particularly nasty way to find out.

Although it's hard for DTM it maybe helps to consolidate the situation in this area of Germany where there are five international airports: CGN, DUS, Weeze, Osnarbrück and DTM. Some would even count Paderborn.

Quoting N14AZ (Reply 8):consolidate the situation in this area of Germany where there are five international airports: CGN, DUS, Weeze, Osnarbrück and DTM. Some would even count Paderborn.

Why not count HHN too? The area is too large to consolidate at one airport. Honestly, from Cologne or Bonn to DTM is really a long way, and my area (Rhein Sieg) is simply difficult to cover from DTM, NRN or FMO. I can get better deals from FRA to many European destinations, even including the 40EUR return ticket from Cologne to FRA on ICE.

Consolidation might be possible at DUS, but even then competition from HHN and FRA would be fierce.

The Rhein-Ruhr area has over 20M residents, so several hubs should easily be feasible.

"Get your facts first. Then you may distort them as much as you please" -- Mark Twain

Quoting ACEregular (Reply 7):Rumours abound regarding GLA, EDI, NCL and EMA. Just the other day I was working out of base for the day and when my cabin crew asked from which base I had come they said "oh isn't that closing" NICE! Too much scaremongering and unsubstantiated tittle-tattle is doing nothing for morale at a time when its already low due to cost-cutting and uncertainty industry wide. I really do feel for the crew in DTM. If the first they knew of it was the e-mail which was sent to the whole crew network, then it was a particularly nasty way to find out

All crew regardless of base were informed weeks ago that a review of small bases was taking place and DTM was rumoured along with EMA and one of the Scottish bases. There will now be a consultation period RE: DTM

Ryanair, Europe’s low fare airline, says “Auf Wiedersehen!” EasyJet, after their announcement today (12th June) that EasyJet has started consultations with its staff on the closure of its Dortmund base where EasyJet has 3 aircraft and 11 routes. EasyJet started its base in Dortmund in 2005. Ryanair started a competing base in Düsseldorf-Weeze in 2007 and just 1 year later EasyJet announced that they plan to desert Dortmund, because they cannot compete with Ryanair’s lower fares to/from Düsseldorf-Weeze.

Speaking today, Ryanair’s Daniel de Carvalho said:

“EasyJet’s high fares cannot compete with Ryanair’s lowest fares from nearby Düsseldorf-Weeze. It was just a matter of time before EasyJet deserted Dortmund. So it’s “Auf Wiedersehen” EasyJet’s high fares and “Willkommen” more Ryanair’s lowest fares at Düsseldorf-Weeze.

To celebrate EasyJet deserting Dortmund, Ryanair released 100 000 seats at €10 including taxes and fees on its 22 routes from Düsseldorf-Weeze. EasyJet passengers, tired of high fares, should go and snap the guaranteed lowest fares at www.ryanair.com.

EasyJet’s decision to desert Dortmund leaves it with just one German base in Berlin, compared to Ryanair’s 3 German bases in Frankfurt-Hahn, Düsseldorf-Weeze and Bremen.

I'm not too surprised. DTM has always had the problem with its opening hours: the airport closes at 22:00, so flights need to be scheduled to arrive before 22:00. This dramatically reduces scheduling flexibility. NRN, for example, closes at midnight and it allows more frequencies or futher away-destinations to be flown.

Since easyJet started its DTM base, the airport operator has been very active trying to have the closure time set at 23:00. Unfortunately, without success so far.

Besides that, it seemed to me that yields ex DTM were not the best in the network. Remarkably often, I have been able to find very cheap flights ex DTM.

Quoting GT4EZY (Reply 10):All crew regardless of base were informed weeks ago that a review of small bases was taking place and DTM was rumoured along with EMA and one of the Scottish bases. There will now be a consultation period RE: DTM

Yeah I realise that the DTM crew will have realised that a small base review was underway via the e-mail sent out previously, as I received it and read it myself. What I am referring to is the fact that the e-mail sent was not specific to any base and I hope that DTM had received further notification of the small base review objectives, specific to their base prior to the general notice released to all crew.

Quoting ACEregular (Reply 14):Yeah I realise that the DTM crew will have realised that a small base review was underway via the e-mail sent out previously, as I received it and read it myself. What I am referring to is the fact that the e-mail sent was not specific to any base and I hope that DTM had received further notification of the small base review objectives, specific to their base prior to the general notice released to all crew.

I don't see any difference. We are a team and decisons should be communicated to the entire team. Other bases, I am sure, have been on the edge of existence and would like to know what is going on too. I feel for the guys at DTM but neither I or you are based there and therefore not qualified to comment.